Offensive Line Allows 8 Sacks Against Jets

Redskins report

July 30, 1989|By WARNER HESSLER Staff Writer

BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Washington Redskins offensive line coach Joe Bugel was happy Saturday afternoon as he walked off the Lehigh University field following a 20-17 victory in a scrimmage against the New York Jets.

But if what he had just witnessed had been a regular season game instead of a scrimmage, the joy of winning would not have prevented him from pitching a fit.

"If this had been a regular season game, I'd be in that dressing room right now pulling hair and slapping some guys in the head," said Bugel.

Bugel was unhappy with his young offensive linemen after they surrendered eight quarterback sacks.

"We had some big time busts in the line today," he said. "Our young guys went against some veterans and they made us look bad at times.

"Every dark cloud has a silver lining, though. The line looked bad, but that gave us a chance to see how our quarterbacks reacted under pressure."

Stan Humphries reacted well. He sprinted away from most of the pressure and passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie Jeff Graham handled the pressure poorly. He completed just two of four passes, was often indecisive, and took five sacks.

In the 7-on-7 passing drills preceding the full-contact scrimmage, Humphries completed 17 of 30 passes for 228 yards and Graham completed five of 19 for 76 yards, missing 11 straight during one stretch.

Early in the scrimmage the Redskins gained big yardage on a passing play in which running back Joe Mickles ran a pattern up the left hashmark and tight end Jimmie Johnson ran up the right hashmark.

The idea was to make the free safety commit to covering one receiver and leaving the other uncovered. Humphries passed 25 yards to Johnson on that play as the free safety went to Mickles.

The Redskins wanted to run the play again, but they had to keep the running back and tight end in to block against the Jets' pass rush.

Three plays before the scrimmage ended, with the Jets leading 17-13, Redskins' coach Joe Gibbs decided he had to forget about the pass rush and try the play again. The protection held and Johnson caught a 16-yard pass for the winning touchdown.

"Whatever the free safety did, he would guess wrong," said Johnson. "If he had gone my way, Mickles would have been open."

"We had to take a chance and run the play," said Humphries. "We were confident it would get us the win.

"I told the offensive linemen to give me some time and we would get the touchdown."

* BONNER UPDATE

Brian Bonner, the Redskins' outside linebacker who was hospitalized last Wednesday in Latrobe, Pa., showing signs of appendecitis, was released from the hospital Saturday. Hospital doctors, who had scheduled an appendectomy for Thursday morning, said blood tests showed Bonner has a urinary tract infection. If the antibiotics work, Bonner could be back at work by Tuesday.

* SCHLERETH PRAISED

The Redskins' offensive line didn't distinguish itself Saturday, but Bugel said center Mark Schlereth, a 10th round draft pick from Idaho, was a pearl among the oysters."I'd say the real winner in the line was Schlereth," said Bugel. "I think we've found ourselves a center. I never knew he could be this kind of player."

* MANLEY FACES SUIT

Dexter Manley is in the news again for his alleged off field exploits. A Houston woman, Ruby M. Lair, filed a paternity lawsuit against the defensive end, claiming Manley is the father of her 11-year-old twin daughters. The suit, filed Friday, seeks child support, reasonable health care expenses and the right to change the last name of the children - Tamera and Tameka Lair - to Manley.